Chapter 2018: The Plan to Kill Three Birds with One Stone? Then Let’s Play Along! (Part 2)

This chapter is updated by Novels.pl

"Since they want to lure the snake out of the hole, let’s catch the turtle in the jar."

Three days later, night.

The moon was dark and the wind was high, the perfect night for murder.

On the western side of Qingyun Sect, Wangyue Valley’s patrol seemed much more relaxed than usual tonight.

Dozens of black shadows, like ghosts, silently infiltrated the valley.

Leading them was none other than the Family Head of the Zhao Family, Zhao Wuji, along with a few remaining Golden Core Stage Elders by his side.

Their eyes flickered with the flames of revenge and greed for the Star Gate.

"Take action!"

With Zhao Wuji’s command, dozens of fierce attacks rained down like a storm towards the seemingly vulnerable defensive magic array in the valley.

However, just as their attacks were about to hit the array’s light curtain.

An abrupt change occurred!

The entire Wangyue Valley suddenly lit up with countless brilliant golden array patterns on the ground.

A gigantic Composite Trapping and Killing Array roared into action!

The defensive light curtain, which originally appeared weak, instantly expanded a hundredfold, becoming an indestructible golden screen that blocked all their attacks.

On the surrounding cliffs, over a hundred Qingyun Sect disciples armed with strong bows and crossbows appeared simultaneously.

"Release the arrows!"

With an order, arrows rained down!

Each arrow was imbued with runes that dispel magic, carving deadly trails in the night sky.

"This is bad! We’ve been tricked!"

Zhao Wuji’s face changed dramatically as he exclaimed in alarm.

But it was already too late.

An old man with white hair and beard, holding a horsetail whisk, descended from the sky, landing in front of them.

It was Elder Xiao from the Elixir Medicine Hall.

"Zhao Wuji, long time no see."

Elder Xiao looked at him with a smile, though there was no warmth in his eyes.

"Since you’re here, don’t be in such a hurry to leave. Stay and have a cup of tea with this old man."

At the same time, deep within the sect, in the Xuan Iron Dungeon.

Wei Cheng, leading over a dozen confidants, made their way unimpeded to the cell holding Fang Zhenxiong.

Their faces were filled with excitement and anticipation for the imminent success.

However, when Wei Cheng used a specially-made key to open the heavy Xuan Iron cell door, he didn’t see his long-desired master, Fang Zhenxiong.

Instead, he saw a familiar figure with a cold smile, holding a cyan longsword.

Qin Mingyuan.

Behind him stood dozens of elite disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall, having already sealed off this place completely.

"Brother Wei, we’ve been waiting for you."

Qin Mingyuan’s voice was like a cold wind from the Nine Nether.

Wei Cheng’s face turned as pale as paper in an instant.

He knew it was all over.

And the informer, Wang Hao, had long been controlled. When he came to, he found himself in a secret room, with Luo Qingchen sitting calmly across from him, looking at him.

A meticulously planned mutiny was thus completely crushed with the force of a thunderbolt.

All the internal traitors and Zhao Family experts who came to assist were rounded up.

The interrogation, personally conducted by Elder Xiao, was carried out overnight.

Under the influence of various elixirs and secret techniques, the psychological defenses of those captured quickly crumbled.

However, from Wei Cheng’s lips, they learned a chilling revelation.

Initially, it wasn’t just the Zhao Family that engaged in secret dealings with Fang Zhenxiong, promising him the sect leader’s position and providing him with an Ancient Evil Technique.

There was also an even more mysterious and powerful entity involved.

"That person… every time, he appeared in a black robe…"

Wei Cheng murmured incoherently.

"On his face, he wore a silver mask without features…"

Silver mask!

Luo Qingchen’s mind immediately recalled the black-clad leader at the Qingyun Spirit Mine, who nearly pushed them to the brink!

The one who claimed to be Elder Jia of the Blood Evil Hall, who ultimately turned to ashes, was likely just a decoy!

The true mastermind, another person!

Fang Zhenxiong was not merely a sect elder obsessed with power.

He had long become the most important and secretive pawn planted within Qingyun Sect by that group of mysterious black-clad men!

This discovery made the hair on the back of Luo Qingchen’s neck stand on end.

The depth of this conspiracy was much greater and murkier than he thought.

The rot within the sect had already penetrated into the bone.

And the process of cleaning out this decay was bound to be as painful as scraping poison from the bone.

After rounding up the remnants of Fang Zhenxiong and the Zhao Family’s plots, Qingyun Sect underwent an unprecedented internal cleansing.

Dozens of disciples and stewards linked to Fang Zhenxiong were individually investigated, having their cultivation abolished or being expelled from the sect.

The atmosphere within the entire sect became solemn.

With the internal threats eliminated, the research on the Star Map finally reached its final and most critical breakthrough.

On that full moon night, when the Big Dipper aligned in the sky and shone with the brightest starlight.

Luo Qingchen, with Bai Ling’er’s assistance, successfully injected the Chaotic Power and True Dragon Power into the seventy-two core runes of the star map’s bronze disc in a perfect ratio.

Buzz!

The entire bronze disc erupted with unprecedented brilliance.

A clear stream of information instantly poured into the minds of Luo Qingchen and all the research team members present.

The complete conditions and methods for opening the Star Gate were thoroughly deduced!

Opening Time: Three days later, at noon. By then, a "Seven Stars Shining Over the Sun" celestial phenomenon will occur, unseen in a thousand years, with the Star Force reaching its peak.

Opening Location: Heavenly Desperate Cliff, Ancient Star Altar.

Opening Key: A fusion of Chaotic Power and True Dragon Power used as a fuse.

Energy Requirement: It requires a vast amount of pure spiritual energy equivalent to the simultaneous eruption of ten top-grade spiritual veins as the foundation for stabilizing the Star Gate’s passage.

This news threw the entire research team into great joy.

The sleepless nights and tireless efforts over months finally resulted in this monumental achievement that could change the fate of the entire sect.

Master Xuan Yang, decisive as ever, immediately ordered to gather all the Upper Grade Spirit Stone reserves from the sect’s treasury, as well as energy from several core spirit veins, to make the final preparations for the Star Gate’s opening in three days.

Yet, no wall is without chinks.

Although Master Xuan Yang issued the strictest silence order.

The news that "Qingyun Sect discovered an ancient divine relic and will open a gateway to an unknown world in three days" still spread with uncanny speed throughout the Cultivation World of the East Continent like wildfire.

The source of the leak was untraceable.

It might have been some remnant of Fang Zhenxiong who escaped the purge.

Or perhaps, it was deliberately spread by those mysterious black-clad individuals.

In any case, the news caused a sensation.

The entire East Continent was abuzz because of it.

The next morning, outside the Qingyun Sect’s gate, came the first batch of "unexpected guests."

Dozens of luxurious cloud boats blotted out the sky, parking outside the Qingyun Mountain Range.

Leading them were the two most powerful super sects of the East Continent.

"Tianqing Sword Sect," renowned for their swordsmanship, with disciples as unruly as ever.

And "Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion," wealthy enough to rival nations, with businesses spanning across the cultivation world.

The leader of Tianqing Sword Sect was a middle-aged man with an aura as sharp as a sword, his cultivation reaching the Nascent Soul Refining Stage.

The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’s leader appeared to be a jolly-looking fat man, seeming harmless to humans and animals alike, but his cultivation was equally unfathomable.

They did not directly storm the mountain but sent emissaries to present their visiting cards.

In their words, though polite, the core meaning was very clear.

"Such an ancient divine relic tied to the destiny of all beings should be explored and shared by all the Daoists of the East Continent."

"If Qingyun Sect wishes to monopolize it, I’m afraid… it would go against the natural order and be hard to convince the public."

Blatant threat.

Blatant pressure.

Under the banner of "for the sake of all beings," they were using the logic of robbers.